The BJP-led Union government rejected the renaming of West Bengal state to 'Bangla' for the third time on Wednesday.

New Delhi: In what could trigger another political showdown between the TMC and the BJP-led Centre, the government recently rejected Mamata Banerjee’s proposal to rename West Bengal as ‘Bangla’.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the name change of the eastern state. Banerjee had requested to initiate the amendment in the ongoing Parliament session. However, the Home Ministry on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha through a written reply stating that the Centre has not cleared the renaming of the state to ‘Bangla’.

Reportedly, Banerjee was unhappy that major issues of West Bengal would be left unattended as the name of the state was at the bottom end of the list. She claimed that by the time the state issues are addressed, the majority of the house becomes empty.

Mamata Banerjee had earlier sought a name change of West Bengal state in a resolution in July 2018 apparently for the ease of doing business in Parliament.

Prior to that, in 2016, the Centre had rejected a proposal by the West Bengal government to give three names to the state – Bangla in Bengali, Bengal in English and Bangal in Hindi. The proposal was returned by the Centre asking it to submit a single name.

The BJP and the Trinamool Congress had been in a tough fight in West Bengal during the recently-concluded general election. There was a war of words between leaders of both parties last month following attacks upon on-duty doctors in Burdwan medical college of West Bengal that led to a shutdown of hospitals in the state.